Prior art 3-D line scanners have involved multiple access mirrors and multiple cameras. Scanners have been used to inspect printed circuited boards integrated circuits and other small parts. The prior art requires two cameras and a multiple number of mirrors to accomplish the scanning mechanism. Traditional prior art scanning algorithms utilize a triangulation method that requires two mirrors. Multiple cameras increase the cost of prior art solutions as well as the complexity.
Prior art part scanning apparatus, have utilized a "golden part" for calibration of the scanning operation. A golden part is a part that is precisely dimensioned in a coordinate system , as for example , a Cartesian coordinate system using x, y, and z coordinates. The golden part provides an extremely precise image of the parts that are to be inspected with the scanner. The golden part typically is extremely expensive to produce and in some cases very difficult to produce. A unique golden part must be produced for each unique part design. The difficulty and expense arises from the need to provide a golden part that has extremely high tolerances, sometimes less than 10 millionths of an inch. Such precision is required for each different golden part created.
The golden part is scanned by the scanner of the prior art and is used to create a "trained image". The trained image is then used to match up a image of an inspected part to calibrate the scanner of the prior art. The prior art method requires a golden part to have at least 10 times more accuracy than the part to be inspected. It is therefore one motive of the invention to eliminate the need for the construction of a "golden" part for each and every part to be inspected by the part scanning apparatus.